What Is the Allergic March? How Eczema, Food Allergy, Hay Fever and Asthma Can Be Linked in Children
Perhaps your baby had Eczema, and now you are noticing sneezing every spring or a cough that lingers at night. Or perhaps someone has mentioned the "Allergic March" and you are wondering what it means for your child.
The Allergic March is a term health professionals use to describe how some allergic conditions can appear one after another during childhood. Understanding it can help you notice changes early and feel more prepared, without needing to worry about what may never happen.
At Allergy Nurture Nurses, we look at the whole picture of your child's allergic conditions, not just one symptom at a time, and help families feel clearer and more confident about each stage.
What is the Allergic March?
The Allergic March (sometimes called the atopic march) describes a pattern in which allergic conditions can develop in a typical order as a child grows:
Eczema, often starting in the first months of life
Food allergy, often in babies and toddlers
Allergic Rhinitis (Hay Fever), often in school-age children
Asthma, which can develop in early or later childhood
These conditions share a tendency for the immune system to overreact to everyday things, such as foods, pollen, dust mites or pets. This tendency is known as being "atopic", and it often runs in families.
Does every child with Eczema go on to develop Asthma?
No. This is one of the most important things to know. Many children only ever have one allergic condition, and plenty of babies with Eczema never develop food allergy, Hay Fever or Asthma.
Researchers now recognise that allergic conditions do not always follow the same order. Some children develop Asthma without ever having Eczema, and some have Hay Fever first. The Allergic March describes a pattern seen across large groups of children. It does not predict what will happen to your child.
Which children are more likely to follow the Allergic March?
Research suggests the pattern is more likely when:
Eczema starts early, particularly in the first few months of life
Eczema is moderate to severe, or difficult to control
A child already has a food allergy
Parents, brothers or sisters have Eczema, food allergy, Hay Fever or Asthma
Even then, it is a likelihood, not a certainty.
How is Eczema linked to food allergy?
Healthy skin acts as a barrier. When Eczema makes the skin dry and broken, it becomes easier for things in the environment, including traces of food, to come into contact with the immune system through the skin. Researchers think this may be one way that babies with significant Eczema become more likely to develop a food allergy.
This does not mean that Eczema is caused by food. For most babies it is not. You can read more in our guides Baby Eczema and Food Allergy: Is There a Connection? and Introducing Allergenic Foods to a Baby with Eczema.
How are Hay Fever and Asthma linked?
The nose and the lungs are part of one connected airway. Health professionals often describe Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma as "one airway" conditions, because they frequently happen together. British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BSACI) guidance notes that around 8 in 10 people with Asthma also have symptoms of Rhinitis, and that poorly controlled Rhinitis can make Asthma harder to control.
This is why it matters if your child has a constantly blocked or runny nose, snoring or mouth breathing, alongside a cough or wheeze. Looking after the nose can be an important part of looking after the chest. Our guide Surviving Hay Fever season with an allergic child has practical tips for reducing pollen exposure.
What signs might I notice at each stage?
Every child is different, but it can help to know what to look out for:
Skin: dry, itchy patches that flare and settle, often on the face and body in babies, and in the creases of elbows and knees in older children
Food: Hives, swelling or vomiting soon after a food, or delayed symptoms such as worsening Eczema, tummy or stool changes
Nose and eyes: sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, itchy or watery eyes, snoring, particularly at certain times of year or around pets or dust
Chest: a cough that is worse at night or with exercise, wheezing, or getting out of breath more easily than other children
Around 10 to 15% of children in the UK have Allergic Rhinitis, and it is often missed in younger children because it is mistaken for repeated colds.
Asthma symptoms often increase in September, when children go back to school and viruses spread. Asthma + Lung UK reported that emergency hospital admissions for Asthma in children aged 5 to 14 in England rose by 408% in September 2024 compared with August. Keeping your child's Asthma plan and inhalers up to date before the new school term can really help.
Can the Allergic March be prevented?
There is no guaranteed way to prevent allergic conditions, and if your child develops one, it is not because of anything you did or did not do. There are some things, though, that current UK guidance supports:
Introduce foods that can cause allergies, including egg and peanut, as part of your baby's diet from around six months, rather than delaying them. For babies with more significant Eczema, earlier introduction of egg and peanut from around four months may be advised by a healthcare professional.
Once these foods are tolerated, keep offering them regularly.
Avoid cutting foods out of your child's diet unless a professional has advised it.
Look after Eczema with a regular skincare routine, as advised by your GP or healthcare team, to keep your child's skin as comfortable as possible.
Keep your home and car smoke-free, as tobacco smoke is a known trigger for Asthma and chest problems in children.
Keep Hay Fever and Asthma under review with your GP, pharmacist or Asthma nurse, and use any prescribed treatments as advised.
You may have read that moisturising every baby's skin from birth prevents Eczema and allergies. A large UK study (the BEEP trial) found that this did not prevent Eczema, food allergy, Hay Fever or Asthma. If your baby already has Eczema, though, regular moisturising as part of their prescribed routine remains important for comfort.
What information is useful to record?
Because the Allergic March can happen over several years, it can be hard to remember what happened and when. A simple record can help you and the professionals supporting your child see the whole picture:
When Eczema started, and how severe it has been
Any reactions to foods, and what happened
Nose, eye or chest symptoms, and the time of year they happen
Possible triggers, such as pollen, pets, dust, colds or exercise
Treatments your child has used, and how well they helped
Allergic conditions in parents, brothers or sisters
When might Allergy Nurture Nurses help?
You do not need a diagnosis to contact us. A nurse-led consultation may help if:
Your child has more than one allergic condition and you would like to understand how they may be linked
Your baby has early or significant Eczema and you are worried about what may come next
You are unsure about introducing allergenic foods
Your child has Hay Fever-type symptoms, a night-time cough or occasional wheeze and you are wondering whether allergy is involved
There is a strong family history of allergies and you want practical guidance
You want to feel prepared before speaking with your GP, Health Visitor or Asthma nurse
During your consultation, we take an allergy-focused history and take time to hear your child's full story from birth to now. We can help you understand how your child's conditions may fit together, talk through possible triggers and practical everyday management, and explain when further medical assessment may be appropriate. Where helpful, we can work alongside your GP.
If your child's Asthma is severe or difficult to control, their GP or Asthma team is the right place for their ongoing care.
What we do and do not provide
Allergy Nurture Nurses is a CQC-registered, nurse-led allergy and allergy-triggered Asthma advisory service for children, young people and families.
We provide assessment through taking an allergy-focused history, education, support and practical guidance. We do not provide emergency medical care, allergy testing, medical diagnosis or prescribing. Where appropriate we can liaise with the patient's GP and signpost to appropriate services. Where further medical assessment is required, families will be advised to contact their GP, NHS services or an appropriate healthcare professional. In a medical emergency, call 999.
Your baby or child should remain under their GP, NHS team or relevant healthcare professionals for clinical diagnosis, medical treatment, prescribing and urgent care.
When should I seek urgent medical help?
Most allergy symptoms are not emergencies. However, allergic reactions can occasionally become serious very quickly.
Call 999 immediately if your baby or child develops difficulty breathing, significant swelling of the tongue or throat, becomes floppy, collapses, appears severely unwell or develops symptoms of Anaphylaxis.
If your child has Asthma and their reliever inhaler is not helping, or they need it more than every four hours, follow their Asthma action plan. Call 999 if the reliever is not helping or you are worried at any time.
Urgent medical advice should also be sought if your baby's skin appears significantly infected or your baby is becoming unwell. Urgent symptoms are not suitable for a routine consultation or online enquiry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Allergic March?
The Allergic March describes a pattern in which some children develop allergic conditions one after another, often starting with Eczema in infancy, followed by food allergy, then Hay Fever and Asthma later in childhood.
Is the Allergic March the same as the atopic march?
Yes. Both terms describe the same pattern. "Atopic" refers to the inherited tendency to develop allergic conditions.
Will my baby with Eczema definitely develop Asthma?
No. Many babies with Eczema never develop Asthma. Early or more severe Eczema, food allergy and family history can make it more likely, but it is never a certainty.
At what age does the Allergic March start?
It usually begins with Eczema in the first months of life. Food allergy often appears in babies and toddlers, while Hay Fever and Asthma tend to develop later in childhood, although every child is different.
Can children grow out of allergic conditions?
Many do. Eczema often improves as children get older, and many children outgrow milk and egg allergy. Hay Fever and Asthma can change over time too, which is why regular reviews with your GP or healthcare team are helpful.
Can the Allergic March be stopped?
There is no guaranteed way to stop it, but introducing allergenic foods at the right time, looking after Eczema, keeping your home smoke-free and keeping Hay Fever and Asthma under review are all supported by current UK guidance.
Worried about your child's allergies?
You do not have to piece the picture together on your own.
Allergy Nurture Nurses offers calm, compassionate, nurse-led consultations where you have time to talk through your child's Eczema, food, nose and chest symptoms together. We can help you understand how they may be connected, what may help day to day and when to seek further support.
Every child deserves the best start in life.
About the author
Written and clinically reviewed by Catherine Neale, NMC Registered Children's Nurse and Clinical Nurse Specialist, and founder of Allergy Nurture Nurses. Catherine has over 25 years' nursing experience, including 7 years as a specialist allergy nurse, and is a member of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BSACI).
Last clinically reviewed: 30 September 2026.
Further reading
This article draws on current guidance and research from the following organisations, where you can read more for yourself:
